Automatic machine for constructing a laminated cohesive interwound tubular fabric capable of assuming an annular form.



L. A. SUBERS. AUTOMATIC Mmmm ma coNsTnucfrmG A LAMINATBD @www xNTEnwoUND TUBULR mmc @APABLE op ASSUMING AN ANNULM; FORM. AVPLM'ANON FXLED MAYX. 1914 Patented Mal: 19H).

B SHEE'ISSHEE'S 1 El l L. A. SUB AUTOMATXC MAC-Him Fox CUNSTHUMIMJ A Hummm wmmw NTFmVmND MIBLLAR Patented Mar. 23. 1915 L. A. SUBERS. AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR GONSTBUGTING A LAMINATBD COHESIVE INTRHWOUND TUBULAR FABRC GAPABLE OP ASSUMlNG AN ANNULAH FORM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1914 Patented Mar. ,23, 1915,

B SHEETSY'YSHEET S.

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L. A4 SUBERS. MLOMATIC MACHINE For; mw-Ml'rxuwlma ,x Mmmm wnmvr' 1N lwwf'w TUBULAH mmm LMABLE @y summa AN Mmmm mm.

.'xrivlL'nkf-IO llLLU MAX L ljl 1,132,635. Patented Malt 23, 1915.

Y SHEETS HHEK 4.

L. A. SUBERS.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR CONSTRUGTING A LAMNATED UGHESIVF INTRWOUND TUBULAP.

UMING AN ANNULAR HMM. APPLCATION HLBD MAYL FABRIG (lz-XPABLEl OP ASS M Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

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1f wir MNAV Patented Mar. 23, 19154 8 SHEETSSHEET 6.

L. A. SUBEBS. INE POR CONSTHUC'MNG A LAMINA'I'ED GUHESIVR AUTOMATIC MACH TNTERWOUND TUBULAR FABRIC CAPABLE OP ASSUMING AN ANNULAR FORM.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

AUTOMATIC MACHINE PO-L ULEB NA 1 m Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

Arta 'j' 30 Shaped roller,

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TUBULAB. FABRICv CAAB'LE 0F ASSUBIHG AN A1* Specification of Letters Patent.

INULAE FORM. r

Patentm Mar.' 23. 19.1 5'

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Be it known that LAWRENCE A. :ilumine` :1 citizen of the United States, and resident of Cleveland, in the County of Cuyahoga 5 und State of Ohio, have invented' certain new and u.; ful ixnpx'm ani-ents in uternat'if;

machines fer eentruetug e. 'humiliated' eoin'tem-'eund tubular fabi-ie capable of nsuming an anxuxlnv form, of whichliefele by; declare 'the following to be rif-ull,

unl ci?? description.. dell ne W"l l=. others t to make und use -lie sume.

The objects ef che inve lien :are io pro- 'viile au :iuteumtizally :n 11g machine for cfmstfueing n tiluiilzxx fabric in annuler 'I .u'ni avlie'x'eb it un be. Contimi u$lj,f umile in li ferm is te ne inlauteble fui' use in consi-.meting :i pneunmiie tire m casing l \\'ii;lieut distei'tion of izle eemponent fabric elem-ents therein,

"lie inueliine is peri-ieulnly de `'il for the continuous censtiiuctien of a lmuinntenl, cohesive, intei'wound fabric in a, tubular,

annular form upon a mandrel The tubulin' fabric is cui; through orvsplit at enel eide while still upon t-lie mandrel' and hence can be readily opened up und Witl'if drawn therefrom amil iveu'nfl upon an eval.

and the. endless" fabric thus Obtained cnn be jpiclueed eimtinue'usly and of indefinite length und when moved .rim the reller'- .ll readily een. une its tulfulm'.l annular imm witl'nmt .liscitiuucw .elterutien n? tension in ik; pin-i5. 'ln this eerxditinn if; is ready fui' u e. ien uut te the propel' lengtl'x for eens* ucmzg n pneumatic tire o'r casing.

The invention eempx'ises zi niancli'el con- 0 Atinueusly movable in one direction und urranged te form g1 curved portion upon 4which the fubric'is interwound and laminatecl' in annular, tubular ferm. The preferred ferm of construction shows im end .less mandrel composed of segmental shaped sect-ions of circular cross section hinge-d t0- get-lier, the mandrel having portions which are curved in the form ofthe ae which cox'- responds in diameter with the internal dic emeter of the finished tie -or easing desireii, '1i-lie circumference @i the ninna reise-gments being equal te theV z'eqniqwe width of enableclea-r,

Skilled iu the. uit. lo which it appe- -lk L+ llgiuuing and suppoiulng e fai-brie bande are retin/e in ep milel, and furnting end guidands, vliieh com active pesiionis f 'wrm the reels for .5.5 et pr ctwally ali are wound bef fling devis u' 'ed perl-ien ef the lit mieles te the '--i i-ctetes in plne sepzirzi'l wanting and guiding es it is muda: 50; le to ""and upuu. tlm. fabric of .lee means for it. im' use.' "ins {enrouting devices, im' Y nun' ,il at a predfeter'niine rate.- n Speed relaive tc speeils of ret-ation el lie melig which governs the angle :it which tl fein-ie '0n-nds are interivoundin forming *elle fabric, and also includeS guiding (leavieer7 and devices for cutting and stm-ing tue f; wie.

lt als() includes n rotatable guide ring in cach bund guiding device and radially movingm'ms which iead the bends tij-their re- ,e-re. pnsiim 5 in 'forming the fabric.

` includes mein `z fm taking up the "ein izins the guiding arm and mit in the guide heldinfopelling :uriner imudes the foune reels pievi ed l Hilden ille inn deel.A

' rai-igcinent of parte and construction of the mandrel on line f,

various details hereinafter desc ibed, shown in the accompanying drawings, andspeciii.

call)r pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying .drawings Figure is a plan View. of the entire machine; Fig. is a side elevation of the same; Fig.- 3 is. central longitudinal Section of the machine througli'the reel supportingstandards, the mandrel, Composed olf connected segmental parts, and the operating means therefor; F ig. 4 is a Sde'riew of a portion of the ninn- 'drel with one half of one segment removed, and shows vthe guide rail upon which lthe 'segments more; and the guiding rollers and hinged connections or the. segments; Fig. 5 is a transverse section oi segment of the f', Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a side View of one of the supports for the T ruil that guides the innndrel; Fig. 7 is a section one radial line through one of the brackets which supports rolls for guidingi and direct ing one of the fabric bands to its requisite concentric guide tube; Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the mandrel and gears for operating thesarne, taken on line g,'g Fig. 3; Fig.

. 9 is a longitudinalsection ot" one of the spools for'A holding Holland cloth and the friction operating sleeve therefor with its driving gear; Fig. 10 is a similar section of one of the fabric band storing spools, and ionary-pivot support therefor; F 11 a section showing one of the' spring pressed arms which provide tension for the fabric bands as they are unrolled from the band storing spools; Fig. 12 is a transverse section through the concentric, rotating, tubular guides for the fabric bands and shows the outside reel and spoolsthereon, and a portion of the bevel gen-r which revolves with the re l d n'hicl'. operates the outer one of t ying rings; Fig. 13 is a longitndii'ii "on ci' the me; Fig. 14 is 'a .le viewvof the supporting bracket for the trike up device for the slack in each fabric band from the outside reel caused by variations in position of the guide rollers due to the inclination of the plane in clined guiding ring plan View of the san1e; Fig. 16 is an en -larged central longitudinalsoction of the outer ends of the concentric; rotating and guiding tubes, and intermediate'stationary tubes and sl1o=.vs the i-ertical and inclined vguiding rings and radially movable guide arms which conduct the bands to the- Inandrel; Fig. 17 is a transverse section on line '6, 16 showing the outer inclined ring which supports the radially movable and stationary guide arms that conduct the bands to the mandrel and also shows 'the cams by meins which the moi-able arms o!v are alternately extended; withdrawn7 and .mandrel on line which complete the action bends B3, B3.

License 'en n slightrotary movement; Fig. 18 is s transverse section on lineh, h, Fig. 17

through the-outer inclined ring showing the rain slottherein and the -inclines upon its bottom =or rotating the movable guide arms; Fig. a transverse section of A j, j; lr ig. 16 showing the innenand vertical guide ring attached to the inner guide tube; Fig. 21 is a. similar section of the mandrel showing the third and inner inclined guide ring and taken on line Jr, Zr Fig. 16; Fig. is asimilar sectionA through the mandrel on line Z, l, Fig. 1G, showing tl e second or intermediate inclined guide ring; Fig. 23'is a side view of the roll supporting guide ar1n,u5ed on the inner vertical guide ring. shown in Fig. 20; 9A- is a. plan View oi' the'roll supporting arinsand rolls used with the guide ring shown in Fig. F is a. similar View of the roll supporting arms and rolls used with the guide ring shown in Fig. :21; Fig. 26 is a longitudinal section of the same showing the Y l pien View or" one of the bend guiding arms stationary plate which carries the cam slot; Y

Fig. 27, is a transverse section on line m, m; Fig. 22 showing one'oi' the inclines. in the bottoni of the anni groove which actuates the guide arm; Fig. is a plan View. vof the fabric slitting und winding mechanism of the machine; Fig. 29 is a side elevation of the same.

in these views A., A, represent seguier-ital` portions of a iiexible mandrel, the segments being annular in forni and of circular cross section. This mandrel may be arranged in many ways but the preferred form is illustinted-in detail in Figs. 1, 2; 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings. Here B is a T shaped ruil upon which thev segmental portions move and for conve icnce en( i portion is longitudinnlly dinled at a and the two portionsv nre secured 0,7, ai, end incluse the T sha-pecl rail between them in the central opening a2 provided for it. Pivoted within this opening are the rollers a3 and a4 which engage the long and which the guide rollers upon the outer in- 'revolve5 Fig. 15 is a,

short sides respectl ellyv ofthe crossbar of together by means or screws the T shaped rail and permit the segments to 'travel easily thereon. Bushings a, a5 of a suitable friction reducing material, such as argnto wood, engage the pivot pins a,a and make oilingunnecessarjv'. This mandrel passes over a. portion Bref the rnil which is curved So as to'cnuse the mandrelto conform to the are of the radiusof the tire or casing desired; upon this portion the fabric 'bands are interwou'nd and laminated at a predetermined Vangle to construct the tubular; annular fabric. The rail is provided also with straight sides B2., B2' sind return The rail is mounted upon stationary produced from the brackets Z1, b, secured to standards C, C' which support the .reel guide tubes and other portions of .the machine. One of these brackets isshown in 6. These brackets are so attached to the .T rail B that no ob struction is offered to the passage of the mandrel segments A, A thereon.

The mandrel is propelled by means of a itoothed wheel D which passes through an Width of fabric desired, and having its outer circumference corresponding with the inner circumference of the tire or .casing to be fabric constructed thereon.

To preserve continuity in the mandrel and an unbsoken outer edge, the segments are hinged togetherat their upper edges by means of a curved arm A2 in one segment engaging a corresponding curved recess A3 in the adjacent segment. The center of Inovement'is shown in Fig. 4 to be located at the exact meeting corners of the outer edges of the segments. The toothed wheel D is operated by means of the bevel gears D', D2 and spur gears D3, D4, and D5, and' is mounted upon the standard vD6. shaft H supplies the necessary power. l

In Figs. 1, e, e, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, and 22 are shown the reels, the feeding tubes for the fabric bands, which encircle a straight portion of the mandrel, vand the guiding devices which conduct the fabric bands to the curved portion of the mandrel. In these views C, C, are standards upon which the tubular stationary bearings E, E are secured by means of caps E', E'. The tubular bearings extend upon both sides of the standards and support the reels F, F', F2, F3, respectively. l

Eachreel is rotated by means of atrain of spur gears as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3,8, 12',

and 13. Reels F', and F3 are rotatedin the same direction upon the bearingtube E, E by the spur gears G', G3, and G2 operated by the gear -G upon the shaft H. i Reels F and F2 are rotated in the same-direction but by the gear Gr upon the shaft H. Reels F by vmeans of the' spur gearsl` `Gr and G* driven .by gear G upon the main shaft H. The standards, C', C', support stationary Vtubes I, l', (see Fig. 3) through the inner one of which I the mandrel passes, and a stationary tube l?. is supported upon the A mainl standard C which supports the rreels F and F The concentric tubes J, J' and J2 are respectively attached to and rotated by the reels F, F', F2, by means of circular plates K, K, having openings K", K', therein for the passage of the fabric bands to the respective'guiding tubes. At the outer ends of the tubes are attached bushing spacers K2, K2, bearing on the inner surface of the stationary tubesl2, I', and bearing tube E.

'Through the annular spaces between the stationary and rotating tubes are passed the fabric bands af, 9:2, openings K3, K3, beiig provided in the spacers K2, K2.

The reels are constructed as shown in FigsY 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 1Q, and 13, and each carry four projecting wrists or pivot `bearings c upon which are detachably secured two spools c', c2 upon which the adhesive fabric bands w, a', are wound alternately with bands of non-adhesive material such as Holland clot-h, and the spools are detachably secured upon their pivot pins by means of a simple form of spring latch c3 shown in Fig. 10. Y

The adhesive bands are guided to the openings between the guiding tubes by means of guide rollers C, C4, and tension is exerted upon the bands upon the spools by means of spring pressed arms C5, C5, as seen in Figs. 8 and 12. A detail of this tension arm is shown in Fig. il.

The spools L, L, for Holland cloth are rotatedby the friction of the spring pressed key Q in the sleeve Q',- driven by the spur gear M2, mounted thereon, the pinion M' and the gear M3 mounted on the reels, and

Vtire casing for which the fabric is being constructed. See Figs. 2,3, 16, and 29. Toy the outer end of the rotating tubes J' and J2 are respectively attached the bevelgears f and f' and to the outer reel F3 the-bevel gear fis secured by the brackets f, f4. To.

. the outer ends of the stationary tubes I2 and- I', and bearing tube E arerespectively .at

tached suitably shaped tubular brackets I3, I* and I5, uponwhos'e outer extremities are .respectively mounted rings n. n', and n2,

having bevel gears N, N and N2 which engage the gears f, f andf3. These rings fn, n', and 'ft2 Vare suitably spaced apart and encircle the curved portion of the mandrel and each rotates in a plane at right angles to the axis of the mandrel and passes through the center of curvature ofthe annulus formed by the mandrel and at a sufcient angular distance apart to permit the operation of the devices for conducting the Yertioui e maling device guiding device which are the 'fabric consisting oll i', and angularl; positioned rollers 2 l"2 on' supports I. The agular position of the rol P2 l, determined the angle at which the bands are. to be interwound forming the fabric. The second i' ed wid1 a bcfei if and tance from be outer edge oi t to the respective tube chan eonstantij Therefore to keep lli@ h bauds in lior;'i zf..n't;il pos. until tney can enter the guides upon the ruig, guide rollers li, E, are prm'idcd n'iounted upon radially' 'n ve Fabric bande pass to engularly placed gu. .le rollers ii, it* upon the Inner ends of stationary arms il", HF and thence to tno mandrel.

In Fig. the guiding moans are-ahown for the next reel and tube, inclined at a difi ferent angle. The construetii'm sin'iilar to that slion'n in Fig. with the exception that the. extremity of each moving' aeui is provided w i; an ataclied block '1'. 'han -.r balls or rolle, l olf ne cani groei* tion to tlm arm and als which engage ineliuesl r in 'the bot-bni of the Cam groom vthat n. 'iociiiuginoxement is imparted 'to the erin R' in"order that roller R may be turned to the. proper angleto rec ,ive the band in its horizontal position due to the gain in. lead of the. roller .R from the varying radii of its curved path. The pin 'r2 is stationary and the pin r3 spring pressed so to' keep both pins in Contact with the'in'clined bottom surface of groove. l

It will be seen that the axis of revolu tion of each arm is always at right angles to the center of the edge of each guide roller -R 4so that the bands Will not come odl from the rollers Rf, R.

In Figs. 1G, 17, 18, and 19 the construe tion of the outer gear ring having the great est amount of inclination is shown, the construction being similar to that shown in' Fig. 22 except the radial arm E is'tubular v the camv sima n naad passes through it to compr ng a cam actuated swinging arm S by means of which the slack in the band is taker'. up. which occurs periodically as the bands are fed to the inclined guides. The swinging arm S is mounted on the bracket ,ft and guide rolls S and S2 on its' inner and outer extremity. Guide rolls S3, S, and guide roll;S5 at right angles to S* are mounted on bracket f4. The band pn. 'es lWer the rolls in the following manto S to S4 to S5 vto R. The of the arm takes up the slack as 'is over the roller on its 'lne swinging arm S. is actui by means of a camming surface ST on tube E, and is held in Contact theA spring S8. Radially e rollers S, SG, on tubes V the bands to the rollers R", Y and n. Figs. l, 2, 28 and 29 are shown the various devices for cutting the fabric longitiulinally after it has been formed upon the curved portion (designated at Y) of the ma ywlrel, and for storing the fabric upon a su ic roller or spool after it has been opened up and withdrawn from the mandrel. ln these views T is a circular knife which slits the fabric upon the inner surface as it passes over the closely joined iii ai1.l^el sgu'ients. This knife is rotated by any suitable means such as the pulley T', shaft Tf and belt T3 and is mounted upon the standard 'f The knife cuts directly into the opening provided for the mandrel the relier lar shape,

The rolle-r may be driven by means of any desired means. In Fig. 28, V is a sprocket free to rotate on shaft Vzvof therollcr "v" VSimported by standard V3 anddriyen.; 'l-yai sprocketchain V'and-'sprocketwheel f V 5 mounted' von shaft V6 in standard Vi". I

The bevel gear VBv onvshaft V5 is driven by bevel gear V9 on the main shaft H. V10

and V are plates keyed to shaft V2 and engage. thesides of the sprocket Wheel V by pressure of the spring V12 thus allow-l ing the speed of the roll V to decrease by slippage as the fabric accumulates thereon.

is driven by reducing gear V13 mounted thereon and pinion- V 1* on shaft i in standard Vs carrying tightand loose pulleys V17 nand Vlg respectively. V is a roller' upon which a band of Holland cloth or otlier-non-adhesive materializa Wound,

-and from which it is introduced between the windings of 'the colie'sive niterwonndv fabric Vupon the roller- V."

It is obvious 'that tliejguide 'rolisnext vthe 'Y -mvmandrel may beso Aconstructed 'an'dcontrolled as to have ftne xvidtlihctxxjeen their anges automatically cliangediaccording totheirl an'f-fnl'ar position around 'sa-id .mandrel so that 'bands V liar-' in-g regularlf.v recurring Wideand narrow-'v portions may begused inY constructing' the annular fabric,.'he"width between the flanges of said 'rolls being greatest 'at-, the outer circumference oi the fabric and leas.J at the' inner circumference of the same, `Without departing vfrom the' spirit oftheinventio'n'or the scope-of the claims. 'Having descri'bedftlie invention what I claim las new and Vdesire to secure by Letters Patent is i. fin a machine for construct-ing a tubular, annular fabric, in combination, aiiexible mandrel curved at one portion in the form of an are, spaced devices rotatable about said curved portion'of said mandrel.

for Windingr `fabric bands thereon to construct said fabric, means for propelling'lsaid mandrel through said rotatablev deiices,

'and meansgi'or rotating saidba'nd 'Winddrei, means for rotating saidvband conduot` fing and applyingdevices, means for-proing devices at a predetermined 'ra-te of.

speed relative to the rate of-propnlsion'of said mandrel;`

2. In amachine'or constructing"tubular,' annularfabrig a. flexible mandrel. having' a curved portion," afser'ies of band' conducting d e'viccs rotatable about said curvedportion of said mandrel, 1 said band conducting` devices 'spaced apart 4arr-.ingedfin planes at right angles-to the-axis Vof' the 'vrnand'rel 'and radiallines'to tliecurvature o-sa'id mandrel, ineansforfr'otatifng saidband con-. l

ducting devices, and' means for advancing the .curved mandrel at al predetermined vrate' of speed.. v f 3. In a machine for cdnstrjucting tubular, annular fabric', 'a iiexible 'curved'niandrei, a series or band conducting andappi ing devices rotatable about said curved inanpelling said mandrel, mea-'ns `for cutting said V'fabrie'on a'longitudinal line, and 'means for removing the same from the mandrel. 1

4f. Ina' 'machine-for constructing a tubu- -'.lar, annular fabric, acurved mandrel, ase- Aries Aof spaced .band conducting and applyingi -devl-ices, rotatableH about said curved mandrel atdifferent angles of inclination f to'each other, means'for propelling the mandrel,mean's or'storing said ba'nds and for guiding them to'said band conduetingand 5 aonlyingldevi'ces, means Aor rotating said conducting and applying devices about' said' mandrel..

5. 'In a machine for constructing'a tubu lar, annular fabric, in combination, a lon- "gitudinally moving iiexible' mandrel, ineafn's' .for curving the mandrel into the fo'rmoff an arcof a circle'as it' passes tlir'ouglione Y portion ofthe niachine,.spaced' devicesA rotatable about the vaforesaid curved'portion'. of the mandrel for conducting' abricelements thereto and for winding' them thereupon,"

means for rotating said conductingand ap plying devices, and 'means forf'prope'lling f said mandrel. Y

,6. in' a machine for constructing an "ann u'' lar, tubular fabric, in combination,- a' iixible mandrel, a guiding support upon which'. said mandrel is mounted, said guiding'supl" vport having a curved portion, n ieansl for:

propelling said mandrel longitudinally of said guiding support, devices orconducting J and applying. fabric bands to thefcurved portion of said mandrel and. said "devices ble-mandrel, a guiding support .therefor'ghaving a straight anda curved portion,-'reelsffk .and band storing spools thereon 'rotatable- .aboutthe straight portion of'said'nl'aiidr'elf and guiding support, devices actu ate-d1i-byl portion of said mandrel orconduct'i applying said bands thereto, and mea'rsgfor guiding said bands from said -vree'ls land `spools'to said band conducting andiapplyingf` devices.

' 'erfand 8. ln amachine forconstructinganannu-A portion, reels rotatable 'about the 'straight poi-tion of lne mandrel, and spools thereonupon 'which the flexible elements composing' lar, tubular fabric, a iexible, longitudinallyjj'll'o lmovable mandrel, a guiding,' SupportjtlerefA @for provided with a straight andaV curved the" fabric are stored, rotatable devices: vfor.V

conducting and applying said flexible elements to the curved portion vof the man-. A

drel'said conductingand. applying'devices'- directed toward the center of curvature of the 'curved portion of the mandrel, means for operatively connecting said conducting and applying devices with saidreels,-means for guiding the iexible elementszffioni 'the spools on' said reels to said conducting. and

applying devices.

9. 'in a macnine for constructinga'n annular,- tubularv fabric, a ieirible mandrel, a. rigid guide and support upon wliiclisaid mandrel travels, said guide having straight mating and zonceiitric with; said rotatable..

and Vcurved portions, means, for.v propelling. Y the mandrel', Va series of reels rotatable about" l the mandrel, spools upon said reels, ooncen#v t i c tii Lesv axially arranged of the reels'and rotatable Ytl'ierenith about the vStraight porvtion of themandrel, stationary tubesaltertubes, driven gears rotatable.' about the deduct flexible elements from said spools and i curved portion ofthe maridreLanddireCt-ed toward Vthe axis of curvaturev fsai'd-iman# drel, said' gears rotatable upon'tlieeXtremities of said stationary tubes,v Corresponding* guiding means upon said reels andfiotjati'ng tubes, said guiding means, conduoting'roll-- ers,'and stationary` rollers adapted. to vcoiiapply the same upon said curved mandrel.

10. In a machine for constructing an aiinular, tubular fabric, a flexible, segment-al mandrel, a rigid support therefor, said Islip- :port having a curved portion, .meansvorpro pelling said mandrel on saideuppo rt. and over said curved portion,4 'and devices rotatable 'about the curved portion of said mandrel and support, for conducting llexible elements. and for applying 'them to said mandrel, andmeans for rotating saidro- Atatabledevices. j

11.y A ,flexible mandrel coiiiprisingf, a series of segmental. Vmembers Ahinged togetlierat their outer` edges, and a rigid support p o'ir which said..mandrel is loiigitl'l'dinally;mov-v able, said Support provided' \v ith. 'a` curved portion.

ments of an annulus hinged togethenand rigidfsupport therefor Ahaving a. curved por-, v

tion,jand ;means for propelling said mandrel e f'upon said rigidsupport.

. ments hinged V{z ogetlie'if la'tgtheir'"outer, ledges,

each seg'ii'ientfformed in twlo portionaari'gid .rail upon which said portions are mounted to incl'osesaid rail between thenn'andfineans for securing the poitionsof Veach .segment outer edges, a rigid rail having'a Acurved portion,` said. segmentsv longitudinally mov.- -ablej uponsaid rail, eachsegment comprising 'thein,` meansifo'r securing said. portions of each segment together-, a driving gear, andv engagingmeans on said segments Ior said Vlll. .In combination, a fiexible .l-mandriel .composed of segments of an annulus, means for hinging said segments together at their two portionsfinolosing said rail between driving gear.

` 1 5. In a lflexible mandrel, a seriesiof. segmental 1 members hinged together at their outer edges, eac'n member composed of por-- v'tions rigidl's'eeiiied together, a rigid rail upon lwhich` said. members are. slidably vmounted, the rail having a-curvedportion,

said rail inelosed between the two portions of 'eachA member, each member provided with an open slot in its inner edge, pinsY in each slot and a toothed wheel adapted to engage said pins to propel said' mandrel upon said rail. i

116. In a device for conducting and for applying flexible elements lto a curved mandiel, the combination with the mandrel, off a .rigid tube encircling the mandrel, a ro-V tatable tube concentric with' said rigid tube, a gear secured to the ex remity of said rotatable' tube., a gear rotatable upon said fixedv tubeand'arranged at right angles tothe axis. 'ofthe mandrel anddirected toward the axis v of ourvatuieof said mandrel `in the direction of -a radius ofthe curve of said mandrel,

- .'a nd driveii.. by` the l gear upon saidl rotatablev tube, arms-'radially movable upon said driven gearfguide rollers upon' saidmovable a'iiri's,` fiiredl rollers upon said driven .'gear' .adjacent to said mandrel, guidiiigrollers 12.`4 In a flexible -inaiidrel, a'sriesf'ofeegu'poiisaid rotatable tube andv means upon said rigidtubeforengaging. said arms-to move. thefsame, to maintain theexible ele ments leading from the guide rollersupoir4 saidrotatable tube to the guiderollers' on 13. Inal leXiblenia-ndreh-aseriesrof seg said movablearms in ahorizontal position.'

" In testimony whereof, Iihereunto'set my handthis 

